BUDE Police are appealing for witnesses who may have seen a serious assault at the bottom of the Strand in Bude in the early hours of Sunday, September 27.

The alleged assault

occurred in the road

outside the Conservative Club at around 2.15am. The victim was a man, who was not local to the area.

Sgt Lynden Hughes, from Bude Police Station, said of the assault: "From footage I have viewed this is one of the most vicious assaults I have seen in my 15 years as a police

officer. It is the type of

assault that we are sadly used to see occurring in other parts of the country.

"I have no doubt that those who witnessed the assault are equally sickened and saddened that such an incident has

occurred within our

community. We have

already spoken to a

number of witnesses. For those witnesses we have not yet identified I would appeal for them to come forward."

Sgt Hughes added: "We are particularly

interested in those

individuals who recorded the assault on their

mobile phones as our

images clearly show the flashes from their

cameras.

"I have made a point of showing every single officer at the station the footage that we have. I can assure our local

community each and every officer is

determined to apprehend those responsible."

Witnesses can contact Sgt Hughes personally at Bude Police Station or by ringing 01288 357502. Alternatively officers can be contacted via e-mail on [email protected]">[email protected] or you ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555111, quoting log reference number BU/09/658.